Creating standardized RFP templates and a best practices manual for her planning team as well as passion for the industry. (Julie Calvert, CMP, CMM)

Being equally committed to volunteering with associations and moving the industry forward as he is to delivering events across Canada. (Chuck Schouwerwou, CMP, CMM)

For 25 years of developing and executing exceptional incentive travel programs in locations around the world. (Heather Douglas)

For increasing a single event’s ROI by 50,000%, and implementing best practices across a national events team. (Arianna McLaughlin)

Industry Builder

The Industry Builder category honors an individual planner or supplier who has developed best practices, created professional guidelines and/or built a product, service or organization that has improved the way the industry conducts its day-to-day business, added to the industry’s overall foundation, and left a legacy.

Nominate someone who has developed, helped develop or launched a best practice(s), product(s), service(s) and /or organization(s) that have improved the way the meeting/events or incentive industry does business.

Nominees are judged exclusively (100 points) on how their product/service/best practice(s)/organization has IMPROVED the OVERALL INDUSTRY.

For being a “sustainability solutionary” and being a leader in green meeting execution and education. (Shawna McKinley)

For being a key player in the development of Meeting Professionals International in Canada; chairing the Canadian Standards Committee, a Federally-funded industry task force, the work of which led to the creation and publication of the Canadian meeting industry’s first textbook. (Diane Stefaniak)

Industry Innovator

The Industry Innovator category honors an individual planner or supplier who has developed and implemented a service, product or concept that modernizes the industry and moves it forward.

Nominate someone who has developed and helped implement an innovative product, client service or an out-of-the-box, next generation marketing or educational initiative, which elevates benchmarks and propels the industry into the future.

Industry Mentor

The Industry Mentor category honors an individual planner or supplier who through his or her expertise, professional influence or academic position has provided others with the opportunity, inspiration or ability to pursue excellence.

Nominate someone who you have seen reach out to and help industry newcomers on an ongoing basis throughout his/her career. The successful nominee will have provided orientation, career advancement, problem solving, coaching and/or support to junior industry colleagues and/or peers.

Nominees are judged on their answers to two specific questions:

What mentoring means to them and why it is important (25 points)

How they have mentored specific individuals, particularly individuals who are not in their employ. Specific examples must be given. (75 points)

Current Hall of Fame Industry Mentors were selected for:

Starting a company mentoring program and seeking raw talent at colleges and universities (Doug Keeley)

Introducing mentees to all aspects of the MICE industry and programs to help enhance and expand their careers (Gabrielle Spanton)

Mentoring students, new event planners and new hires from day one of her career (Julie Holmen)

Expanding the boundaries of mentoring to include colleagues and seasoned professionals looking for the next right step (Jill Harrington)

Offering advice, opening doors, assisting in job searches, sharing insights and discussing next steps with a new generation of planners (Judy Healy, MBA)

Guiding colleagues, newcomers, students and sometimes, bosses, throughout her career in the hospitality industry and as an instructor at Niagara College. (Janet Jakobsen, CMP, MBA)

For 34 years of mentoring employees and competitors, and for sharing her expertise in mentorship with other companies, associations, etc. (Constance Wrigley-Thomas, CAE)

For mentoring countless junior industry colleagues on both the planner and supplier sides. (Carol Priest)

Rising Star

The Rising Star category honors a planner or supplier, with a total of two to five years experience in the industry, who has demonstrated leadership and the desire to become an ambassador for the industry.

Nominate someone who has demonstrated initiative in becoming a professional meeting/event or incentive travel planner or supplier in terms of his/her training, education, internships, adopting mentors, etc. In addition, the nominee should be actively involved in the industry, serving on association committees, etc.

Nominees are judged on two major elements:

Education and experience (50 points). Please note: nominees must be working in the business events industry for a minimum of two years and a maximum of five years. Employment can be on the planner and/or supplier side.

Industry Volunteer

The Industry Volunteer category honors an individual planner or supplier who gives freely of his or her time or expertise in the promotion of industry associations, groups, professional industry chapters or charity work.

Nominate someone who is actively involved in the industry and/or works closely with charities.

Nominees are judged on the depth and breadth of their volunteer activities, as well as their ability to articulate what volunteering means to them. The points breakdown is:

Being as involved as is humanly possible in the meetings industry, sitting on multiple boards and mentoring. (Sandra Moniz, CMP)

Defining volunteerism within the meetings industry and in her personal live. (Hélène Moberg)

Holding leadership volunteer positions on industry associations as well as volunteering in her community. (Hayley Bishop, CMP)

Actively volunteering with CanSPEP (committees, president) and serving as CanSPEP representative and then chairperson of the Business Events Coalition of Canada, now Meetings Mean Business Canada. (Rose Timmerman-Gitzi, CMM)

The Big Idea

This category was introduced in 2014 to honor an individual planner or supplier who has come up with and helped to implement an idea that has improved the productivity, profitability, culture and/or operational systems of a specific company/business.

Nominate someone who has come up with and implemented a “big idea” that has changed the way his or her company does business. Look for ideas that have added value, increased productivity and efficiency, solved a systems problem, improved working conditions, etc.

Nominees are judged exclusively (100 points) on the uniqueness and impact of their “big idea.” Impact must be beyond an individual’s own business.

Current Hall of Fame Industry Volunteer inductees were selected for:

Creating a new event—”Game Changer: Meet – Mentor – Educate”—with the mandate of introducing recent graduates to the faces behind the big brands in the industry. (Patricia Brusha)

Playing a leading role in developing the 10 CE Hour Mobile App Certificate Program, which teaches planners why and how they should use mobile apps. (Tahira Endean, CMP)

Leading MPI Toronto’s initiative to measure the return on investment (ROI) of an association membership (memberTOmember). (Tim Whalen, CMP)

Industry Veteran

The Industry Veteran honor is awarded at the discretion of the judges and Meetings + Incentive Travel (M+IT). It celebrates planners and suppliers who have shaped the Canadian MICE industry over the course of their careers. To be considered for an Industry Veteran award, individuals must first be nominated in one of the seven categories above. Nominators should note on the nomination form that the individual should be considered for the Industry Veteran category.